By Karen McPartland, RD

Then, minimize telomere shortening!  Now, you are probably wondering what a telomere is…Telomeres are sections of DNA at the end of each chromosome that serve as a “cap” to our genetic material.  Every time a cell replicates, its telomere will become shorter; eventually causing cell death (once the telomere has reached a critical length).  Shorter telomeres have been associated with metabolic abnormalities, obesity, cardiovascular disease, dementia and cancer.  Therefore, slowing the loss of telomere length may slow aging and age-related disease. 

So, how can you “lengthen” your telomeres?  Studies are ongoing, but a recent study in The Lancet Oncology reported that men with early stage prostate cancer who improved their lifestyle by exercising daily, eating a diet rich in fruit, vegetables and whole grains and who worked on stress reduction through mediation and yoga, were able to lengthen their telomeres by 10% in five years.  So, find ways to be active every day, manage your stress and eat minimally processed foods! 

If you want to know your telomere length, Princeton Longevity Center can help! Click here for more information and click here to schedule an appointment.